The Independent Agencies

The executive departments are
the
major operating units of the
federal government, but there are many other agencies which have
important responsibilities for keeping the government and the
economy working smoothly. These are often called independent
agencies, since they are not part of the executive departments.
The nature and purpose of these agencies vary widely. Some are
regulatory groups, with powers to supervise certain sectors of
the economy. Others provide special services, either to the
government or to the people. In most cases, the agencies have
been created by Congress to deal with matters that have become
too complex for the scope of ordinary legislation. The
Interstate Commerce Commission, for example, was established by
Congress in 1887 to curb the growing power of the railroads. In
recent years, however, a trend toward deregulation of the economy
has altered the functions of many federal regulatory bodies.
Among the most important independent agencies are the following:

Action is the principal federal agency for administering
domestic volunteer service programs to meet basic human needs,
and to support the self-help efforts of poor individuals and
communities. Some of ACTION's programs are Foster Grandparents,
offering older Americans opportunities for close relationships
with needy children; Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA),
which provides volunteers to work in poor communities; and
Student Community Service Projects, which encourages students to
volunteer in their communities as part of their education.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) coordinates
intelligence
activities of certain government departments and agencies;
collects, correlates and evaluates intelligence information
relating to national security; and makes recommendations to the
National Security Council.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), founded in
1970, works
with state and local governments throughout the United States to
control and abate pollution in the air and water, and to deal
with the problems of solid waste, pesticides, radiation and toxic
substances. EPA sets and enforces standards for air and water
quality, evaluates the impact of pesticides and chemical
substances, and manages the so-called "Superfund" program for
cleaning toxic waste sites.

The Federal Communications Commission licenses the
operation
of radio and television stations and regulates interstate
telephone and telegraph services. It sets rates for interstate
communications services, assigns radio frequencies, and
administers international communications treaties.

The Federal Reserve System supervises the private banking
system of the United States. It regulates the volume of credit
and money in circulation. The Federal Reserve performs many of
the functions of central banks in other countries, such as
issuing paper currency; unlike central banks, however, it does
not act as the depository of the country's gold reserve.

The Federal Trade Commission guards against trade abuses
and
unfair business practices by conducting investigations and
holding hearings on complaints.

The General Accounting Office is an arm of the legislative
branch that oversees expenditures by the executive branch. It is
headed by the comptroller general of the United States. It
settles or adjusts -- independently of the executive departments
-- all claims and demands by or against the federal government,
and all money accounts in which the government is concerned. It
also checks the ledger accounts of all federal disbursement and
collection officers to see that public funds have been paid out
legally.

The General Services Administration controls much of the
physical property of the federal government. It is responsible
for the purchase, supply, operation and maintenance of federal
property, buildings and equipment, and for the sale of surplus
items.

The Interstate Commerce Commission regulates the rates and
practices in interstate commerce of all common carriers, such as
railroads, buses, trucks, and shipping on inland waterways. It
supervises the issuance of stocks and bonds by common carriers
and enforces safety laws.

The National Aeronautics And Space Administration (NASA),
established in 1958 to run the U.S. space program, placed the
first American satellites and astronauts in orbit, and launched
the Apollo spacecraft that landed men on the moon in 1969.
Today, NASA conducts research aboard Earth-orbiting satellites
and interplanetary probes, explores new concepts in advanced
aerospace technology, and operates the U.S. fleet of manned space
shuttles. In the 1990s, NASA will assemble, in space, the
components for a permanent space station manned by international
crews from the United States, Europe and Japan.

The National Foundation On The Arts And The Humanities
encourages the development of American arts, literature and
scholarship, through grants to individuals, groups, institutions
and state agencies.

The National Labor Relations Board administers the
principal
U.S. labor law, the National Labor Relations Act. The Board is
vested with the power to prevent or remedy unfair labor practices
and to safeguard employees' rights to organize and determine
through elections whether to have unions as their bargaining
representative.

The National Science Foundation was created to strengthen
basic research and education in the sciences in the United
States. It grants funds for research and education programs to
universities and other institutions, and coordinates the science
information activities of the federal government.

The Office Of National Drug Control Policy, created in
1988 to
raise the profile of the U.S. government's fight against illegal
drugs, coordinates efforts of such agencies as the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration, the Customs Service and the Coast
Guard.

The Office Of Personnel Management in 1979 assumed
functions
of the Civil Service Commission, which was created in 1883 to
establish a merit system for government service and to eliminate
politics from public appointments. The agency holds competitive
examinations across the country to select qualified workers for
over three million government posts. It also sponsors training
programs to increase the effectiveness of government employees.

The Peace Corps, founded in 1961, trains volunteers to
serve
in foreign countries for two years. Peace Corps volunteers, now
working in more than 60 nations, assist in agricultural-rural
development, small business, health, natural resources
conservation and education.

The Securities And Exchange Commission was established to
protect investors who buy stocks and bonds. Federal laws require
companies that plan to raise money by selling their own
securities to file facts about their operations with the
commission. The commission has powers to prevent or punish fraud
in the sale of securities, and is authorized to regulate stock
exchanges.

The Small Business Administration lends money to small
businesses, aids victims of floods and other natural disasters,
and helps secure contracts for small businesses to supply goods
and services to the federal government.

The United States Agency For International Development
(USAID)
carries out economic assistance programs designed to help the
people in developing countries develop their human and economic
resources, increase their productive capacities, and improve the
quality of human life. The USAID administrator also serves as
director of the U.S. International Development Cooperation
Agency, which serves as the focal point for U.S. participation in
such organizations as the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF), the
Organization of American States (OAS) Technical Assistance Funds
program, the World Bank Group, and along with the Department of
Agriculture, the Food for Peace program.

The United States Arms Control And Disarmament Agency is
responsible for U.S. participation in international negotiations
on arms limitation and disarmament. It represents the United
States on international arms control commissions and supports
research on arms control and disarmament.

The United States Information Agency (USIA) seeks to
promote a
better understanding of the United States in other countries
through the dissemination abroad of information about the nation,
its people, culture and policies. USIA also administers a number
of two-way educational and cultural exchange programs, such as
the Fulbright Program, with foreign nations. It provides
assistance to foreign press and television journalists covering
the United States. The Agency also advises the president and the
various departments of the government on foreign opinion
concerning U.S. policies and programs.

The United States Postal Service is operated by an
autonomous
public corporation that replaced the Post Office Department in
1971. The Postal Service is responsible for the collection,
transportation and delivery of the mails, and for the operation
of thousands of local post offices across the country. It also
provides international mail service through the Universal Postal
Union and other agreements with foreign countries. An
independent Postal Rate Commission, also created in 1971, sets
the rates for different classes of mail.